So, John Inman look-alike Julian Assange is holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy.
This is what he had to say:
“As Wikileaks stands under threat, so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our societies. We must use this moment to articulate the choice that is before the government of the United States of America.
…
“The United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters. The United States must pledge before the world that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the secret crimes of the powerful.
And so on.
Ecuador has one of the most shameful records in South America for its assaults on freedom of expression. Journalists from that country are the ones seeking asylum: not the other way round.
Indeed, Ecuador has imprisoned, and is itself preparing to extradite to the nightmare totalitarian state of Belarus, a whistle-blower facing the death penalty:
The plight of Barankov poses a real test of Ecuador’s commitment to human rights. A former Belarusian army captain, Barankov arrived in Quito in 2008 thanks to the Ecuadorian government’s very liberal immigration laws. He then set up a blog denouncing corruption and other crimes allegedly committed under authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Ecuador initially granted him refugee status, but after a state visit by Lukashenko to Quito on June 29, he was arrested and is being held in the capital’s infamous, 19th century prison while the top court hears the case on Belarus’ fresh extradition request. If sent there, according to his partner, Maribel Andrade, he will face charges of treason and could be put to death.
Let us not forget the close connection between Assange and the neo Nazi “Israel Shamir”/Joran Jermas, who Assange paid to hand documents on the Belarussian opposition to Lukashenko.
And, as Bob B notes in the thread below, Ecuador has a pretty cosy relationship with Belarus:
Ecuador’s defence minister says the South American nation has signed a preliminary defenceco-operation agreement with Belarus to explore closer ties including exchanging military officials.
The signing came during a visit Thursday by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been broadly condemned for rights violations and alleged vote fraud in power in the eastern European nation that he has ruled for 18 years.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa told reporters Belarus is important for its technological advances and commitment to socialism.
Close the Embassy down. Expel the Ambassador. We will just have to source our folding straw hats from another country.
